Where is Democracy, Shura Went?

Arab World Quota

Workshop, Cairo, Egypt, 5-6 Dec 2004



International IDEA, UNDP Egypt, UNIFEM Arab World Programme and the National Council for Women in Egypt, convened a regional workshop December last year on women's political participation in the Arab region, entitled Enhancing Women's Participation through Special Measures in the Arab World. As the last regional quota workshop in the IDEA series, the Cairo workshop provided a forum to critically examine the use of quotas and/or other mechanisms to increase the political representation of women by presenting experiences and best practices from the Arab World. A range of case studies and precedents from other contexts were included to inform proceedings, so as to offer examples of strategies that work as well as emerging evidence of best practices. The minimal political participation of Arab women is widely recognised, and measures to ensure that women play a more active role in public life are now becoming a high priority among Arab women activists and organisations concerned with the advancement of women. The outcomes of this activity will be a report on the status of quota implementation in the region, together with recommendations on how to advance women's representation in the Arab World by working with political parties, women's organisations, international and regional organisations and other stakeholders.

Read Dr. Rowaida Al-Maaitah


Minister of state for Government Performance / Jordan

Member of the Executive Council of the Arab Women Organization